


Office Christmas Party

by Writinginstardust



Category: Nikolai Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Getting snowed in, M/M, One Night Stand, gender neutral reader, office Christmas party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:42:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21783229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writinginstardust/pseuds/Writinginstardust
Summary: Work parties suck but you're forced to be there. The evening might just get a little better though when you meet a handsome stranger.
Relationships: Nikolai Lantsov/Original Character(s), Nikolai Lantsov/Reader
Kudos: 14





	Office Christmas Party

**Author's Note:**

> I'm 95% sure there's nothing explicitly showing the reader as either male or female in this so everyone can enjoy.

Ivan. Bane of my existence and quite possibly the most boring man I’d ever met. And he just had to find me on the night when I was supposed to be trying to have a good time for once. He literally would not shut up and I was starting to consider taking drastic measures to get away from him. At least soon I wouldn’t have to see him so much thanks to my imminent department transfer.

“Sorry, (Y/N), I’ve just spotted Aleks and I need a word with him. We can continue this later.” His eyes were trained somewhere over my shoulder as he spoke and he was suitably distracted from me now. Thank god.

“Sure. See you around.” I would not. Not if I could help it. He left without another word and I escaped to the other side of the party, hoping I could disappear in a dark corner and not be found by him again. If it weren’t so early in the evening and I hadn’t promised the girls in my department I’d stay, I’d have left then and there. Work parties were never something I’d particularly enjoyed. I didn’t know half the people there and of the half I  _ did _ know, there were few I liked and even less that I’d like to see outside of the office. Add alcohol into the mix and it was a recipe for a vaguely hellish night. 

Grabbing a drink, I made my way to a quiet corner with a mostly empty couch, only one other person occupying it. The man had a drink in hand and looked fed up. Clearly I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to be here. 

He looked up as I sank down next to him but didn’t say anything. I looked over, studying him for a minute. Someone I’d never met before which was a shame because he was drop dead gorgeous. Silky-looking blond hair, hazel eyes, jawline that could cut glass, impeccably dressed and styled perfectly on the line between casual and smart. It was a roguish handsomeness and I immediately found myself inexplicably drawn to him.

“You look like you’d rather be literally anywhere else,” I said after another couple of silent moments. He turned those beautiful eyes on me, a little smile playing on his lips that made my chest feel light.

“That’s because I would. I hate work Christmas parties.”

“You’re not the only one.” 

“Why are you here then?”

“I was forced by the girls in my department. What about you?” He pursed his lips, considering his answer for a minute.

“It was something of an obligation.” Strange obligation but I wouldn’t enquire further. “I’m Nikolai by the way.” He extended a hand to me and it was soft and warm when I shook it. Nikolai. That name sounded familiar but I couldn’t place why.

“(Y/N).”

“Can I get you another drink, (Y/N)?” I glanced down and found I’d managed to finish the one I picked up on the way here already.

“Yes, thank you. Raspberry Cosmo please.” He took my empty glass and headed for the bar. I watched him go, unable to keep my eyes from admiring his form in that perfectly tailored suit and the easy confidence he carried himself with. How had I never noticed this man before? He seemed to be the type that would have the girls in the office swooning and gossiping on the regular at the very least. Maybe they had and I’d just been too busy to notice. That must be it.

Nikolai returned quickly and for the rest of the night the conversation flowed as freely as the drinks. We ducked out of the party just before 11 and Nikolai invited me back to his place. Normally I would have politely declined. One night stands weren’t something I did, especially not with colleagues, however infrequently I might see them. But, well, I was more than drunk enough to shut off the rational part of my brain that was telling me this was a bad idea, and Nikolai was all kinds of perfect. I knew I’d regret it if this was my one chance and I didn’t take it.

So, I ended up in his bed and let him completely ruin me for any other man. He was a perfect gentleman, even in the midst of a drunken hookup and _my_ _god_ he was one talented bastard, managing to turn a pretty shit night into one of the best in my life.

*

It was bright when I woke up. Too bright. Even taking into account my hangover and how late in the day it probably was, it was much too bright. I opened my eyes as much as I could bear and squinted at my surroundings. It wasn’t my room and for a moment I was confused until the memories came flooding back. So that would also explain the warm body next to me then. The one that was shifting and looking very close to waking up. That would be my cue to leave then.

Quietly as I was able to, I slipped out of the bed and pulled my clothes back on, not bothering to properly fix my appearance until I’d left the room and gotten into the living room. It was there that the problem arose. The blinds were wide open and blinding white hit my eyes. Snow was everywhere and, though we were several stories up, I could tell it was deep. There was barely a soul on the streets and those few that I could see appeared to be almost up to their chests in it. There was no way I was going to be able to get out of this building, let alone back to my own apartment across town. Shit.

The soft pad of footsteps drew my attention from the window and I turned to find Nikolai vacating his room. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed me and his brow furrowed in confusion even as a small smile graced his lips.

“I thought you’d gone,” he said, voice scratchy.

“That might be a problem.” I gestured to the window and he took a few steps closer to me, eyes widening when he noticed all the snow.

“Shit.”

“Yeah.” Silence followed and I had no idea how to break it. What the hell was I meant to do now? I couldn’t leave but I couldn’t just stay here after last night, that would be unbelievably awkward.    
“Well, since you’re stuck here, would you like to borrow some clothes? I can’t imagine those are very comfortable.”

“You want me to stay here?” I asked in surprise.

“Well, what else are you going to do? You can’t go out in that.” He had a point.

“Won’t it be awkward?”

“Because we had sex?” I nodded and he shrugged. “It’s not that big a deal. Might be a different story if it was bad.” He grinned and winked and heat flared in my cheeks but I found myself grinning back.

“Well it definitely wasn’t bad.”

“Then we don’t have a problem.” And just like that I was completely at ease again. “So, clothes?”

“Yes please.” I followed him back into his room and sat on the bed as he rummaged through his wardrobe for something comfortable and vaguely size appropriate.

“These are about the best I can do,” he said apologetically as he tossed a t-shirt and sweats to me. I pulled them on quickly, the material incredibly soft against my skin even if the clothes didn’t quite fit right. “Here, you can borrow this too.” He handed me what looked to be an old sports team hoodie and I held it up to inspect, curious at this new piece of information. I froze as I caught sight of the name emblazoned on the back. Lantsov. God, please let this not be what I thought. Nikolai noticed my reaction and shot me a questioning look.

“You okay?”

“Lantsov…” I looked up at him, wide-eyed. “As in…”

“Yeah.”

“Oh god.” That was why the name rang a bell and why I’d never seen him before. So, not only had I hooked up with someone from work, I’d managed to pick the CEO’s  _ son _ . The CEO’s son who just so happened to be the reason for my transfer. I was going to be his personal assistant and I’d just slept with him. Could things have gone  _ any _ worse?

“What’s wrong?” He asked, taking a seat beside me.

“You know how I told you last night that I was getting transferred?”

“I do.” A moment later it seemed to dawn on him. “ _ Oh. _ ”

“Yeah. I’m going to be your assistant.” We sat in awkward silence for a minute or two. That had made things a whole lot worse. Now we were going to have to work together every day, how on Earth was that going to work after last night?

“Well, as your new boss, I should probably tell you I don’t make a habit of sleeping with my employees.” Nikolai finally said.

“I don’t usually sleep with colleagues or superiors either.”

“That being said. I’m not opposed to this happening again.” I looked at him in disbelief.

“You can’t be serious?”

“I am.”

“Is that even allowed?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time a PA and their boss ended up together.” The way he said that implied more than just the casual sex I thought he’d been talking about and I couldn’t deny the way my heart fluttered at the thought.

“So…?”

“So, I know we only met last night but I like you and I’d like to take you out on a proper date.” My breath hitched at the offer and I itched to just say yes but the rational part of my brain was working uninhibited by alcohol now.

“And what if it doesn’t work out? What do we do about work?”

“I assure you, I can be perfectly professional if that should happen. I’d like to hope it won’t though.” And god, so did I.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll give it a try.” He grinned and leaned in to kiss me, managing to leave me breathless even though it was relatively tame. I followed his lips instinctively when he pulled back and his grin widened. 

“Y’know,” he started, hands sliding around my waist and pulling me a little closer. “I was going to suggest watching movies all day, but I think I might have a better idea.”

“I think I might too,” I breathed out before Nikolai connected our lips again, the kiss far more suggestive than last time bust still unhurried. He guided me back on the bed and pressed closer.

With my fingers tangled in his hair and his tracing the lines of my body, we made out lazily for what could very well have been hours though I couldn’t be sure and didn’t really care. There wasn’t much else to do after all and the longer I was with him, the more difficult it became to think of a good reason to keep my hands to myself. Nikolai appeared to have the same problem. Coherent thoughts that weren’t about him were buried deep down as his touch made me forget anything else, but a single one reached me through the haze: maybe work Christmas parties weren’t so bad after all.


End file.
